Paper marbling has a one-thousand-year history. Marblers have been attempting to use acrylic paints for less than 50. Traditionally, marblers made their own paints especially tuned to the unique demands of working as a marbling paint. Modern manufacturers of acrylics are not concerned with the unique nature of the marbling process and may add assorted additives to their paints that work against the marbler’s ability to control the spread of the paint on the surface of their marbling bath.

The challenge for the marbler is to find the paints that work well and, if need be, learn how to make some colors themselves.

Rewards are great for the acrylic marbler with agreeable paints. A wonderful array of colors can be purchased online or at your local art store. Pigment will not rub off a finished paper and though some old-style patterns cannot be achieved, there is no end to the tantalizing possibilities of marbling with acrylic paints.

Acrylic Paper Marbling Workshops

Our step by step acrylic paper marbling workshops are ideal for a beginner, but include endless innovations to challenge an experienced marbler. Students work on full size professional marbling tanks and learn how to use sets of precision marbling tools as they are introduced to a wide range of traditional and contemporary marbling patterns and techniques. Paint, paper and marbling bath preparation are fully discussed, and problem-solving strategies considered. Students depart with dozens of marbled papers in a spectacular array of patterns and colors.